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| Philippines |
| About the Country |
| The
7000 islands that comprise the Philippines are the forgotten islands of
South-East Asia. Off the main overland route and with a recent history of
martial law and endemic corruption, the country has struggled to attract
tourists in the numbers many of its southeast Asian neighbours have.
Since the demise of the authoritarian Marcos regime 15 years ago the Philippines has fared better; however, the last few years have sent the country's fortunes tumbling once again. |
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2000 a Brussels-based research centre declared the Philippines the most
disaster-prone country on earth. It named typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, floods, garbage landslides and military action against Muslim
insurgents as just some of the problems both locals and tourists have had
to deal with.
Political woes continue to set the country back. Most recently, former president Estrada was arraigned in July 2001 on the capital offence of economic plunder. Meanwhile, new president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is struggling to revitalise the country and establish her political credentials. Despite these difficulties, most of the Philippines is laid back, stable and relatively safe. The country likes to promote itself as the place where 'Asia wears a smile' and the locals are, by and large, an exceptionally friendly and helpful bunch. On top of this, transport is cheap, the food is good, accommodation is plentiful and (for the monolinguistic) English is widely spoken. Warning !!!... |
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Philippines' political stability has been consistently precarious during
2001. Prior to elections in early May 2001, newly sworn-in President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared Manila to be in a 'State of Rebellion'.
Some 20,000 supporters of ousted president Estrada took to the streets and
clashed with police in a conflict that left at least three protesters and
two police officers dead.
In addition, guerillas have developed a predilection for kidnapping foreign tourists and ransoming them for large sums of money. Hostages who have been held by Muslim rebel group Abu Sayyaf since late May have still not been released. The group claims to have beheaded one of its American hostages in June, but this has not been confirmed. The government has made inroads by capturing and arresting some of the group's top members; however, security in southern regions is still an issue for tourists. Although the danger lies mostly in the south, travellers should also be cautious in Manila and other major centres. Serious thought should be given to avoiding Sulu Archipelago, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, Maguindanao, and parts of the Zamboanga peninsula. Keep an eye on developments, and seek local advice on travel to other parts of Mindanao. If you're a journalist keep your head down while in the Philippines. According to the Paris-based World Association of Newspapers, five media workers were killed there in the first half of 2001. The other major issue to be aware of is boat safety. The Philippines archipelago is serviced by a flotilla of ferries, some of them little more than rickety tubs that are often overcrowded and underserviced. There are 100 ferry accidents a year in the Philippines, many of them involving high numbers of fatalities. Legislators have begun to call for the death penalty for negligent operators whose boats sink, but this is unlikely to improve the seaworthiness of many vessels. If you feel uncomfortable boarding a ferry that looks shonky, leaky or overcrowded, look for an alternative boat or catch a plane. Facts |
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For more general information on Philippines, go to: |
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For more regional information on Philippines, go to: Regions or |
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